Won't be going again.

[5co77ie]

I've said all along about three years now that chart 'indie' and guitar music would continually incorporate increased electronic influences until everything went full circle and casual music fans were back to Ibiza instead of the UK Summer festivals. It's certainly getting there at the moment.

Edited September 3, 2009 by 5co77ie

[5co77ie]

Compared to Little Boots, La Roux, Lady Gaga and the like, it's much harder to market the vocal-less squelchy French House of Boys Noize, Para One, autoKratz and the like.

[HoTWire]

My point was that the headliner for the Festival Republic stage had had a number 2 single in the UK charts.. that is pretty unheard of for a headliner on that stage.

Nothing to do with the type of music. Frankly there wasn't enough good quality electronic cross over stuff on display. Where were The Do, Fever Ray, Elika, M83, Cut Copy, Lykke Li and the like in all this? Or does the indie/electronic cross over begin and end with one record label?

To be frank this whole thing isn't new... check out the top of Kitsune's roster.. Adam Sky has been playing this kind of thing out since 2001, just taken for ever for the indie kids to catch up with it,.. I say indie kids, perhaps I should just say mainstream chart fans now then as it only seems they caught on when it hit the top ten.

This stuff needs more representation at the festival, just not the one famous artist to get more kidz through the door.

FNM I suspect suffered from the fact there wasn't a unified metal presence there, so a lot of the metal fans stayed away... there was a lot less black tshirts in the audience this year, and I think the festival was poorer for it.

[Lithium05]

there was a lot less black tshirts in the audience this year, and I think the festival was poorer for it.

[beLIEveR]

Yep. Metalheads are dicks.... and Indie fans are pussies.... and casual fans are assholes....

*scolds self for too many Team America references on here lately*

[5co77ie]

This stuff needs more representation at the festival, just not the one famous artist to get more kidz through the door.

[ALLHALLOWS]

I've been to every Leeds bar one and it definately is deteriorating. I don't think it was any worse this year than it has been for the past five but that could've just been I was camped in an ok bit. I don't think there's much the organisers can do apart from try not to attract annoying trendy kids who are only there to see the big bands and cause trouble but they won't do this as it makes no sense financially to them.

I still really enjoyed myself this year and I'll probably end up back next year but I really hope the organisers take a long look at there booking policy and perhaps try to attract a better mix of crowd rather than the late teens/early twenties bracket they go for just now.

[gooner1990]

Deffo the second worse for me in 13 Readings (2004 being the only worse one). It was sooo cold with that wind blowing, I was forced to buy a fleece on the Sunday, it was truly miserable and deffo had an effect on our enjoyment of the festival.

[Benj]

2000?

It absolutely twatted it down with rain on the Friday night during Oasis.

[MEGABOWL]

My two'pennorth then-

I can't comment on the campsites, as I was 28 when I last camped in 2005 with my better half and thought the atmosphere quite unpleasant. Everyone being younger than me is fair enough, it just felt very last day of school, my bonkers free hugs days are over and I certainly don't need the constant undercurrent of aggression.

This year I got a weekend ticket and stayed in a hotel in Leeds. Couldn't recommend it enough. Leeds has such an overload of hotels I got 3 nights in the Marriot for £130, there were plenty of other options for a little bit more. The shuttle bus is £17 for the weekend, we didn't miss anyone we wanted to see.

As for the arena itself, I thought it was great. Bit busy but well organised, good layout, nice size, no complaints. The crowd was young so the Radiohead crowd thinning was to be expected, the 'only know two songs' element is there at any festival and drink makes people less patient so bands have to choose their sets carefully, it's always been the case.

Overall, had a great time, no complaints.

[HoTWire]

The "only knows two songs" element has always been there to be honest.. at the 1996 festival we walked away from Stone Roses after 1 and a half songs and headed for where we'd always intended to be, Underworld in the NME tent, couldn't get in so danced around out the back (no screens back then),.. until Born Slippy is played and the tent half emptied.. loads of people just want the single I guess.

If anyone is curious; best band of 1996 was New Kingdom by a country mile,.. don't let anyone tell you it was Rage, they were the second best but they made me miss Rocket From The Crypt so they get marked down.

[kennyabis]

I'm 17 and can't help but find a lot of the "the festival has changed so much over the last x years" remarks funny. I'm going to sound really blunt here but maybe it's just that you're getting older, the kind of music which encaptivated you in your youth is no longer the kind of music which inspires the youth of today, just as the music which inspired your parents is different to that of your own. No doubt many of the younger festival goers today will eventually become veterans as you are and complain in a similar way; I just find the whole concept too cliche to take seriously.

Edited September 5, 2009 by kennyabis

[zero000]

I dont think I Will be going back again. I didnt feel like i fitted in anymore and the amount of nob heads in the campsites is unreal. Reading is slowly turning into V. I laughed last year when i read threads like this one about Reading, but i have slowly come to agree with this viewpoint.

Glastonbury and another fest for me next year, maybe latitude. At least the people there understand festival spirit and are not barbaric enough to go around in "angry mobs" burning everything in their path. I only hope that the people who chuck debris onto the fires such as gas canisters and aerosols, are one day maimed by some other dickhead who has done exactly the same as them.

[Budweiser]

The "nobheads" have taken over V festival now Reading, soon i feel Glastonbury will be scavenged up by pre pubscent twats.

[travelling mr pastry]

The "nobheads" have taken over V festival now Reading, soon i feel Glastonbury will be scavenged up by pre pubscent twats.

[Lithium05]

unless they drastically change the exam timetables it'll never happen

[Matticus]

i know its always been a "younger" crowd in the sense of the word, but this year it was literally 16 year old girls. Its turning into t4 on the beach. forgive me if im sounding stupid, but ive never heard something so boring in my life then the idea of watching your favorite band in a crowd full of 16 year old clueless girls, regardless of how good looking thry are!:angry:

[Lithium05]

i know its always been a "younger" crowd in the sense of the word, but this year it was literally 16 year old girls. Its turning into t4 on the beach. forgive me if im sounding stupid, but ive never heard something so boring in my life then the idea of watching your favorite band in a crowd full of 16 year old clueless girls, regardless of how good looking thry are!:angry:

Edited September 6, 2009 by Lithium05

[Budweiser]

I was talking to someone at a party yesterday and he was saying "I just go to Reading to get pissed and start fights, i hardly watch any bands" i was like so you spend 180 quid to do that... you stupid f**king idiot. People like that have no place at Reading festival.

Edited September 6, 2009 by Budweiser

[rexclark]

2000?

It absolutely twatted it down with rain on the Friday night during Oasis.

[MEGABOWL]

I'm with you mate. Most of em seem more interested in getting on telly than watching the bands.

Edit: F*ck knows why, can't see anyone ever being "discovered" by being a face in the crowd at a festival.

[j...rox]

The photo thing gets boring, I pulled a few out last year but now my camera doesnt even go near. Enjoy the gig and unless its the reformation of led zep then no historical evidence needed apart from your ticket.

[farmer_andy]

Its nice to see theres a thread where people have some of the thoughts i had over the weekend.

Where do all the twats at leeds come from? you never see them at gigs or anywhere else in such large numbers. I'm all for having a laugh and that but this year the humour was pretty limited. everyone has mentioned buttscratcher so far and yeah it wasnt funny!

Im gonna keep going as long as my friends do cos its a feckin awesome weekend but starting to dread sunday night. what the f**k happened to chilling out and getting f**ked while just talking to your mates and randomers.

oh and robbing pikeys too, go awayyyyy you lowlife shitty scum

Edited September 7, 2009 by farmer_andy

[Benj]

Lightning struck the stage while Oasis were on IIRC.

[Reading fest]

Although i am 16 i agree that there is a much younger audience,

especially this year where it seems to have increased because of maybe the lineup with Arctics and KOL.

I believe alot of these teenagers seem to have made the atmosphere of the crowds worst and lack knowledge of alot of music, unless it get radio play! Thats part of the reason why KOL weren't as good as they could've been. Alot of people only knew 'sex on fire', 'use somebody' and the lot.

So don't single them all the teens out, + hears to a heavier Reading '10